It struck me as I was re-reading this history of the preparation for Vatican II that instead of following their founder, Archbishop Lefebvre, in speaking out in the face of scandal, the neo-SSPX leadership and priests are following in the footsteps (silence) of those churchmen who betrayed.
Of all 120 members of the Central Preparatory Commission, only Archbishop Lefebvre rose up to protest against the inclusion of dissident/censured theologians among the
periti. One can imagine that had Bishop Williamson been present he would have stood up in support of the Archbishop. The rest of the SSPX would have been 'prudent':
https://web.archive.org/web/20040613183510/http://sspx.org/miscellaneous/ab_lefebvre_preparing_the_council.htmFirst SkirmishesThe question regarding the selection of the Council’s periti (experts) was addressed at the very first plenary session of the Central Commission. Archbishop Lefebvre had received in advance, like his colleagues, the list of the experts chosen by the pope, and was the only one to voice his opposition to such contradiction between theory and practice.
Said the Archbishop: "As for the quality of the theologians and experts in Canon Law, they must have a true love for the Church and they must adhere completely first in their hearts, with their lips and by their actions to the doctrines of the Roman pontiffs and the docuмents written by them. This is of paramount importance, since we have been surprised to find the names of theologians whose doctrine is at variance with the necessary qualities demanded in advisors." At least three of these experts had been censured by the Church hierarchy. "When I mentioned these names," he continued, "Cardinal Ottaviani did not react. However, after that meeting, during a coffee break, I was approached by His Eminence, who took me by the arm and said: ‘I understand your concern, but what can we do? The Holy Father, himself, wants things to be this way. He desires to have experts who have made a name for themselves.’"
Topic: SSPX Silence Prepares Betrayal (Read 492 times)